Heading up the mountain.

Tuesday morning we repacked our bags and then had breakfast with the team and Deep River folks. After the team left we posted the blog and chatted a bit before prayer and heading out.

We stopped for a SIM card for our phone after which I tried to text and Cory went to a store to exchange some money. 

The phone internet did not work so we stopped at a second phone location to get help making it work. Very thankful to receive texts from my folks and Anna assuring us that we can communicate while on the road!

Then we stopped at a mission where a mechanic teaches Haitians as they repair cars together and he checked our Land Cruiser. They switched the front and back tires for us to try to fix a shimmy. We will need to have a gear in the back axel replaced next spring..but it should be OK until then.

We will also be buying new belts soon but the rest looked OK.

We then headed to Fauche. Most of the crops this summer were lost in the drought and many fields were never planted this spring. All the animals were let loose which caused even more problems. Our oldest employee, in his 60’s, says it is the worst he has seen. Some of the area’s cacao trees died and most had large branch dieback. Breadfruit and bananas are also major crops around Fauche and lost most of the production, many of the banana plants sacrificed or stolen to keep livestock fed.

Cory’s plant/tree nursery looks better than we’d hoped it would. Some items damaged by a hungry goat recently but nothing of significance died.

We unloaded our bags and started to think about what we will pack.

Thursday..I enjoyed attending the early prayer meeting. Cory walked to the gardens across the river with the guys. Fritzlin and I took apart the boxes that make up the base of our bed. His aunt and mother came for a visit just as Cory arrived back from the gardens and we had a good visit. Lunch. More packing. So thankful for our Land Cruiser! Solar panels, a tall bookshelf, the entertainment center, 2 big mahogany boards (1.5”x22”x4’!) that we plan to use for bathroom counters; Lots of smaller things stuffed down between the shelves, the items from our 3 checked, 3 carry-ons and 3 personal bags. We also organized the remaining things for pick up. 14 years of curriculum take up a lot of boxes! As well as favorite books. 

Thankful for Jean Pierre’s family who provided us with stew, eggs and bread, rice and beans with chicken & sauce- what good friends we leave here. After dark his family came to pray with us and send us off well. Continue to pray for Jean Pierre’s health as he’s doing much better but still struggling with his diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Friday’s plan is to leave around 6:30 [left at 7] and slowly drive south to Ortlip [made it at 2]. Stop in to see our teammates and hopefully check e-mails and post this blog. Then we will continue up the mountain. [another 3-4+ hours] If the internet at the neighbor’s is working we will post on Facebook and I’ll put a praise on the blog.

Thanks for the prayers. A few delays..and Anna's cat not happy but small things.